Modeling Magnetic Reconnection in Ionospheric Ejection Current Sheets

Magnetic reconnection plays a critical role in a wide range of phenomena, including solar flares, auroral dynamics, and space weather events. In the ionosphere, magnetic reconnection is central to the formation and evolution of ionospheric ejections that transport energy between the magnetosphere and the atmosphere, which have been studied at Earth and Mars. Here we present a numerical study of magnetic reconnection in the current sheets of ionospheric ejection configurations, focusing on the underlying physical mechanisms and their impact on energy dissipation and particle acceleration. Using resistive Hall magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models and a MHD with adaptively embedded particle-in-cell (MHD-AEPIC) model, we simulate the dynamics of magnetic reconnection, focusing on plasmoid formation and evolution. We highlight the role of reconnection in creating localized regions of intense electromagnetic activity and particle heating, which can contribute to the enhancement of ionospheric disturbances. This work provides a multi-model comparison of the dynamical evolution of plasmoids in environments exhibiting ionospheric ejection current sheets, with implications for atmospheres at Earth, Mars, and more.